Could Iran's water crisis be the regime's tipping point?
Drought is a problem. So is government mismanagement.


Tehran is running out of water. Residents of Iran's capital city are working to "stave off catastrophe" brought by climate change and resource mismanagement. The crisis could threaten an Islamic regime already struggling in the aftermath of conflicts with Israel and the United States.
The city of 10 million people could be "weeks away" from a "day zero" in which "taps run dry for large parts of the city," said CNN. Authorities are "scrambling to reduce water consumption" and sounding the alarms. Urgent decisions are needed, or "we will face a situation in the future that cannot be solved," said President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday. The country is in the midst of a terrible drought, but the water supply crisis has been compounded by "excessive groundwater pumping, inefficient farming practices and unchecked urban water use," said CNN. The result "can only be described as water bankruptcy," said Amir AghaKouchak, a civil engineering professor at the University of California, Irvine.
"Water shortages and collapsing public trust" are creating a "perfect storm" for Iran, said AL-Monitor. The government is taking emergency action to deal with the shortages, but many Iranians see those moves as "signs of panic, not planning" from what is already regarded as a "'broken' system." That has "domestic implications" and could even "inflame regional tensions."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What did the commentators say?
Iranians find themselves in a "daily struggle against a regime that has failed them for decades," said Dana Sameah at The Jerusalem Post. The country's social media channels have been "flooded" with images of "desperate farmers and business owners" in distress over the "loss of their livelihoods" as "vital services have ground to a halt" thanks to shortages of both water and electricity. Does that mean regime change is in sight? There is no "organized political force" capable of leading a revolt. But a regime that cannot get water to its citizens "knows deep down that its time is running out."
"A thirsty Iran provides an opening for the U.S.," said Janatan Sayeh at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The scarcity of water has previously "triggered unrest" throughout the country, including a 2021 uprising in Khuzestan province and again the next year in Hamadan province. There have been more protests since then. Washington has an opportunity to "demonstrate alignment with the Iranian people" against a government that is responsible for the country becoming "increasingly uninhabitable."
What next?
The water crisis comes as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader, is "fading into the shadows," said The Economist. The 86-year-old leader has largely receded from public view since Israel's 12-day bombing campaign earlier this summer. That leaves "actors inside and outside the regime jostling for position" when Khamenei leaves the scene. But time is running out, said Reuters. Without cooperation from Iranians to conserve water, Pezeshkian said on Thursday, "there won't be any water in dams by September or October."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.
-
5 cultural trails to traverse by car
The Week Recommends Leave the hiking shoes at home
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
The 'secret' to 'avoiding a monthly car payment'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Iran: Is regime change possible?
Feature The U.S.-Israeli attack exposed cracks in Iran's regime
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Bibi's back: what will Netanyahu do next?
Today's Big Question Riding high after a series of military victories, Israel's PM could push for peace in Gaza – or secure his own position with snap election
-
Is Trump sidelining Congress' war powers?
Today's Big Question The Iran attack renews a long-running debate
-
'Self-segregation by political affiliation is spreading'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'